Gladiator: The Next Generation

[The Sevenshot Kid]

Robin Hood will be coming out soon and it's existence puts a sour taste in my mouth. How do y'all feel about it?

[Magus]

It's been very poorly advertised, with really dumb lines (BEFORE SHERWOOD FOREST...except they're clearly in Sherwood forest in the commercial...SEE THE HEROES BEFORE THEY BECAME THE LEGEND...what?) and it looks way too serious and unaware of itself. It won't be as good as Prince of Thieves, simply for the lack of Alan Rickman.

But I liked both Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven so maybe it'll be a good action flick.

[The Sevenshot Kid]

It just seems like they weren't even trying too hard to when they came up with this film. And Russel Crowe, really? He is no Errol Flynn.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

I like Crowe. I like Ridley. I like Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven. Not sure if I like this. Like Gunslinger said, it leaves a sour taste in my mouth. The whole thing just screams "Gladiator Rehash!!", which is pretty much the only image I have in my mind when I see the trailers.

But seeing as I got dragged to see Clash of the Titans recently I might go voluntarily to see this (it can't be WORSE than Clash can it??). At worst it will be a bit "meh", at best it will maybe entertain for a couple of hours.

[Magus]

I don't really see how it can be a Gladiator rehash, if anything it would be a rehash of the forest battles in Kingdom of Heaven, maybe. Gladiator had scenes of gladiatorial battles which can't be rehashed in jolly olde England.

If you mean the tone of the film, well, yeah, but technically 300 was a rehash of that tone and every other "badass" film that comes out.

[Flarecobra]

I'm actually wanting to see this. Don't ask me why. Something about it appeals to me.

[The Sevenshot Kid]

I feel tempted to give this a chance. It could be superior to Gladiator, not unlike Kingdom of Heaven, or it could be a lazy rehash of the same story.

[Magus]

Can anyone explain why the Guy of Gisbourne character isn't called Guy of Gisbourne but is instead called Sir Godfrey and is French for some reason? And seems to be the main villain instead of the Sheriff of Nottingham?

"He has said in interviews that the Sheriff character is “less important”, and that the main villain of the story is actually the country of France."

Link (http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/04/24/ridley-scott-casts-matthew-macfadyen-as-the-sheriff-of-nottingham-in-robin-hood/)

This makes no sense, you can't go around changing the story basics like this. It's Robin Hood versus the Sheriff of Nottingham, not Robin Hood versus foreign political intrigue epitomized in some French guy we've never heard of. You can change pretty much everything else but the nemeses and also that Maid Marian is the love interest everybody wants their hands on. And uhh, steal from the rich, give to the poor. There's only three things you have to have and he doesn't have one of the most important ones.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

I don't really see how it can be a Gladiator rehash, if anything it would be a rehash of the forest battles in Kingdom of Heaven, maybe. Gladiator had scenes of gladiatorial battles which can't be rehashed in jolly olde England.

If you mean the tone of the film, well, yeah, but technically 300 was a rehash of that tone and every other "badass" film that comes out.

I mean in the sense that it stars Russel Crowe, is directed by Ridley Scott, and is about betrayal/corrupt rulers and people swording each other. Kingdom of Heaven and 300 both only had the "people swording things" in common and 300 had the benefit of outlandish fantasy elements as well.

Of course;

He has said in interviews that the Sheriff character is ?less important?, and that the main villain of the story is actually the country of France."

Now I've lost all enphusiasm for this. Are they seriously taking the U-571 approach here?

[Professor Smarmiarty]

France wasn't a country back then, it wasn't even really an ideology (as in this land is "France" and it is its own country) till the hundred years war, England was similar. Most of the nobles were French and they all ruled land on both sides. Fighting against "France" doesn't make any sense.

[Magus]

Yeah is it like William the Conqueror's descendants versus like, some really French guys?